It Only Takes One….

About 2 years ago I transitioned from my original blog, Gym Jane, to here at Dare To Evolve. There was a shift occurring and it felt like it needed to shed its cocoon in order to grow into the next incarnation of itself.

That shift has come about once again. The last 6 months has seen a major… cleansing of sorts on all levels, from business to personal to family (which is essentially all the same source ; ). It’s been necessary in order for the latest transition to occur in a meaningful way with a lasting effect.

So while the feel of the blog will stay the same, it is being absorbed into the folds of:

I’ll admit, making that move has been a decision I’ve mulled over for a long time. This blog is actually integral to what I do in my work. But I just couldn’t see it fitting with my work website in a way that jived and still held the spirit with which I write here.

I want to thank you all for coming along on the ride thus far and invite you to continue doing so. The blog will also include what I share from a fitness perspective and how to integrate that into the whole. Into the process of going deeper, facing ourselves and evolving. But to ensure it’s not too difficult to find the posts of this nature, the ones here of the last 2 years, just click “The Evolution Diaries” under “Blog” and you’ll have them all there before you.

One of my very best childhood friends, practically my brother, in a drunken rage, shot and killed two people. Two people we all knew in that small community of ours. The last act he would perform in this life…..was to then turn the rifle on himself.

Receiving that phone call was one of the greatest shocks of my life. I couldn’t register the reality of what happened. I made the 1000 km trek back to the town I grew up in, to be there for his family and the family’s of our two other fallen brothers, for the community, to grieve, to heal, to say goodbye. His mom asked if I would speak on their behalf at the funeral, speak for him. I didn’t think twice about it. It was my honour to. In retrospect however, what a task. To speak to the life, to the positive qualities, recalling the best, of the person who’s actions took the lives of two others. And to do so in front of their families and friends.

This is one of the most unique attributes of the Native (First Nations) culture. In light of such an event, to come together to say goodbye to the fallen members of the community. All together. At the same time. The caskets side by side. The families side by side. Therein lies a step in the process to healing that is leaps and bounds ahead of much of the rest of the world. I’m not saying it makes it any easier. But the effect is much deeper. And as a result, I felt I had said my goodbyes, done my healing and was able to let go of what had happened, because there was nothing else that could be done about it now.

The last few months, and especially since Ruhiyya was born, I’ve been doing some digging. A puzzle before me as I worked to uncover what key lay within it, that would allow me to move along to the next stage of the path I walk. It took some time and extra vigilance as I moved through, one layer to the next, each time thinking I had found the answer. A struggle with self-worth? Seeking approval from others? A few more thrown in there for good measure. While I don’t generally associate with these as being my particular challenges, I needed to look into all potential corners and be open to all possibilities. Because it is often where we don’t think to look (or we feel we are “above such ‘insignificant’ issues”) that we find the answer. While initially I thought I could see how “this could be it”, none of them truly connected. And I was spurred on.

Then finally, I did. In a power session of peeling back the layers (with my love, my soulmate, my best friend…my wife, as my sounding board), we found the gem, lodged in tight. A gem because it was a gift, to release me from a lifetime of, while well intentioned, anchors threatening to take me down as I strived to give more through the development of my capacities.

It was not wanting to let others down. My parents, my sisters, my friends, my teammates, my fellow man, God. I did not realize just how deep this went. And it went unnoticed, under the guise of helping others, being of service, caring. And this is where the fine line is. Because we should care. We should be able to be of service to others. By assisting others (in whatever function that is meant to be) to reach there greater potential, we do the same for ourselves, all mutually supporting each other to a more meaningful life. BUT! There is a way that will in the end help most and a way that will drag you under, leaving you helpless and powerless to do anything at all.

I’d like to share a brief, summarized story from the Baha’i Faith. Ruhiyyih Khanum (my daughter’s namesake) had a dream. And in this dream a dam had broken, causing a great flood. She ran down to try and help people being swept up by the water. She could save a few, but many she could not. The current was too strong and there were too many of them. At one point she saw Abdu’l-Baha further up, his back turned to her and the flood. She called out to him to come help her. He didn’t respond, but rather kept attending to what he was doing. She ran up to him, pleading with him to come help save these people. With out missing a step, he smiled at her, telling her he was. He was fixing the dam.

This has always been a powerful image for me growing up. Yet here I am, realizing that all this time, I had been finding myself drawn in to attempting to pull out one person at a time. The feeling of having to leave anyone behind, to be unable to “save” them, was difficult for me to accept. Combine that with a strong sense of protecting others from harm (having faced immense abuse myself as a child), it was a mix that would prove overpoweringly challenging to not fall into that pattern. The irony is, yes you may have “let down” a few along the way to fixing the dam. But you will let down far more trying to pull them out one at a time.

The thing is, anyone who is familiar with saving a drowning victim knows you NEVER get near them. You throw them a line or other apparatus and pull them in. Because in a state of panic, without meaning to or understanding what they are doing, they will take you down with them. Now you are both dead. For me, it’s not a matter of whether or not I care. I always care. But it is a matter of responsibility to the higher potential I am called to.

When it hit me that this was the current piece in the puzzle I needed to put in place, it all came in a rush. Like domino’s falling, I could see right back to my childhood, throughout my life, how I got caught in it. While I have been lucky enough not to find myself trapped indefinitely, I could see how at minor and major points along the way, it severely hampered any forward momentum, until finally a strong enough jolt from a screaming intuition would shove me onward.

Identifying this factor has ended up being the key to disrupting a recurring feedback loop I’ve found myself in the last couple years:

1. I don’t want to let anyone down. So I try to help everyone with every little thing (even when it is not mine to deal with).

2. By attempting to do that for everyone, I get bogged down. I get drained. I’m not attending to what I need to focus on, thus not following through on tasks that will have a fulfilling sense of purpose (because our purpose is unique to each of us).

3. As I feel myself getting dragged down, accomplishing less and less, I re-commit. I steel myself to work harder. To get the results I’m striving for (in my feeble attempts to assist everyone, whether on a personal or professional level).

4. That causes me to work more, sleep less and have less time with my family. Feeling like I’m doing this to make headway to have more quality time, and more quality services offered. Yet, I’m letting everyone down. Because I can’t do it all.

5. I don’t want to let anyone down….

You get the picture. So while on the surface it may seem like a positive course of action, in reality, it is the very act that will snuff out our light, leaving unfulfilled, the contribution of our unique gifts and strengths for those whom it will have the greatest impact. And what right do we have to do that? Pretty selfish really. Feeding our ego a nice meal of “I’m the one who will save them. If I don’t save them, than they are lost.” We have no idea what role we will play in the lives of others. That’s not for us to determine. All we can do is pour forth the best of what we have within, out. If done with sincerity, it will hit it’s mark in the way it’s supposed to.

I was waist deep in the flood, hanging on tight with one hand. The pebbles beneath my feet slipping. Wet and cold, getting drawn further from the shore, having to look into the eyes of those who I was helpless to do anything for. Pulling, struggling. I couldn’t see why all of this felt like it was imploding in on me, as I felt my efforts futile to change the situation.

It took the intensity of my best friends actions to see the sorrow I felt still, a decade later. To recognized that I somehow, on an unconcious level, felt responsible. That I had somehow let him down, and because I couldn’t pull through for him, he was boxed into a corner that forced his hand. What a way to belittle his life even further. To take what dignity he had left, that he wasn’t responsible for his choices.

In December of 2010 I released my Clubbell training program, the Clubbell Mass Evolution. A full 3 month training program with a specific focus of putting on lean muscle mass using clubbells.

“Clubbells are now my true love when it comes to any kind of free weight training system. The Clubbell Mass Evolution was a truly enlightening and fabulously fun way to get trained in them, thanks to Shane Heins of Gymnos E.” -N.G.-

While the feedback I have gotten from those who have used it has been great, I have had a few people write in asking where they might find more before and after pictures. They really like the philosophy and the approach. They just aren’t seeing what the outcome actually looks like. And they feel they need to see the physical “results” to motivate them to take the plunge.

“I just started Cycle 2 today…oh.my.god. I love it! I love the rhythm, the flow. I’m seeing changes in my body, too…. I feel like my metabolism has been turned back on and revved up….Even though I still have cycle 3 to go, I can honestly say that I already feel stronger than I did after 3 months of personal training linear-style.” -S.D.-

And you know what? Totally fair question. I also really appreciate their honesty. The before’s and after’s is an interesting one. I had my beta testers for the program take before and after pictures. And while it wasn’t dramatic from a picture stand point, there were changes. But I’d decided not to require them to go on a strict diet (which most other

programs that show before and after’s do, because you cannot get those types of results without it.) I actually provide a nutritional guide with the program. It’s not a pre-prescribed diet, because for the majority, those don’t work. So it’s geared to helping everyone systematically shift their eating habits, in a way that allows them to find the “diet”, or way of eating, that works best for them ,while providing a means to helping them achieve continuous, sustainable progress.

“The nutritional guide to Gymnos Evolution’s “Clubbell Mass Evolution” is the most sensible 11pgs on nutrition I’ve read in a fitness product” -D.M.-

But I wanted to see the results people got from just incorporating the program itself into their life (as very few will actually undergo the whole kit and kaboudal off the bat.) This is fitness for life.

“This program accentuates Clubbell skill acquisition, immensely. I have been able to try and succeed with some of Coach Jone’s ballistics now. Encore! Encore!” -M.S.-

What have the results been? All the ladies who have done the program have only gained a few pounds (if any), but dropped good amount of body fat. They get a shift in their body composition, firm up and feel really strong. So they are obviously happy. Consistently, the guys so far writing in are gaining between 6-12 lbs after 3 months. But that also includes a drop in body fat, change in body composition and feeling stronger. Another major point of feedback is feeling back, shoulder and hip imbalances getting corrected (more mobile and pain free).

This is what I want people to connect to with CBME. To gain the benefits of putting on lean muscle mass (it doesn’t have to be in excessive volumes) in a way that enhances their life, rather than causes frustration and disappointment, deflating their efforts to continue. Instead, to gain strength. To feel capable. To be mobile and pain free. To give them access to other interests and pursuits. To be excited about their fitness. To be inspire by it.

“I was doing a clubbell workout out on the back deck, near the squirrel feeder, and this squirrel was watching me intently. I went back out later, the clubbells were over under the feeder, and that squirrel had experienced some CLUBBELL MASS EVOLUTION!

Loving CBME! Phase 1 is a great workout, and really looking forward to the wild variety in the coming stages!” -M.L.-

Yes, it is a specific lean muscle mass building program. That’s how it was designed. But this program is simultaneously a “mass” evolution. It’s is an evolution for the masses in how we look at gaining that lean muscle. That’s its intention. And with that shift, I anticipate more people (the 85% who normally don’t see those results) actually seeing the gains. Even I myself have been pleasantly surprised at the number of people who have gone through and either completed or are in the middle of completing the program (all 3 months), from start to finish. That’s not common, especially so soon after release.

“So far, really enjoying the CBME. I’m using it with a small group of women who have worked with me for several months and are familiar with clubbells – but unfamiliar with the volume. Two of them are in their seventies!” -J.K.-

Getting into the before and after pictures starts to automatically shift the perception back to what we’re used to seeing. And I’m hesitant to unintentionally set up that trap for people to fall into, with expectations that they may or may not achieve, not because of the program, but because of their perception of what they think they should be looking like (and the reality of what they will have to undergo to do so). By taking that away, there is an increase in the percentage of people who are seeing it thru to the end (that includes 7 women! 7 WOMEN undertaking a MUSCLE MASS BUILDING program, not including those in the above mentioned class), which then does bring them the results and feeling great while they’re at it.

“Day 10. High intensity day. Workout B. Still using the 15s for Barbarian lunge, Duck, Drop and Drive and Figure 8 Shield Cast. The figure 8 is still clumsy. Need to work on the form more. Good and intense workout today. Really needed this to lift up my spirit.” -T.J.-

Of course, that being said, you can’t just talk the talk without showing SOMETHING. So there is the journey of my Beta Testers:

I’m a military officer with 23 years of service….B.S. in physical fitness, been certified as an Army Master Fitness Trainer and at one time certified with the American College of Sports Medicine…..I have been a paratrooper and served as a reconnaissance platoon leader, military police company commander, and have worked with foreign governments training their personnel in VIP protection….I have been an operator my entire time, and physical fitness has always been a top priority – especially functional/tactical fitness – and I think I have the experience and knowledge to know what works (and this does).

At 42 years old, I’m always searching for programs that keep me at the top of my game to compete with the younger generations. Thanks for providing an awesome program that will definitely occupy a place in my own personal workout sessions.” – R. -

So I will continue to NOT use before and after pictures. Because this is an evolution. A mass evolution. And I am far more interested, moved, inspired and motivated by the experiences people have had and the stories they share. To me, they speak so much more honestly to the journey many of us are on and what we are truly looking to have access to in our lives.

Dare to Evolve,
Shane.

For more of these stories, you can find them at the Clubbell Mass Evolution. Have one you’d like to share? I would love to hear about it.

Recently we were blessed with the birth of our 3rd child. A beautiful daughter to throw into the mix with my two sons; bright, joyful and full of adventure. It is absolutely sweet to see the love they shower over the wee one. I think she is very lucky to have these two as her older brothers. Not to be coddled and kept from facing what challenges lay ahead for her. But to protect via their love, encouragement, support and unrelenting faith in her capabilities, of who she is and what gifts she brings to the world. They will undoubtedly drag her along on every adventure to be had, idea to be realized and story to be told. Or have to hang on to her coattails. Time will tell ;D.

When Ruhiyya was born, my sister-in-law Erika said to me “It’s interesting how with the birth of each child, there is a unique test that comes to us. I’ve thought about what it is those tests are meant to teach us. What is it we are meant to learn and develop, so we can give that to our child.” And then she asked me, “What are you getting from her?”

I had to take a minute to think about it. Because I’m a very avid….. test chaser. Meaning, whenever tests come or I see a limitation in myself that needs some shaking up, I dive in head on to figure it out and discover what it is I’m meant to learn. Doing so requires a rather, abrasive process. Because we are going up against very uncomfortable, weak, dark, scared parts of ourselves, which our ego will do all it can to keep us from disturbing.

But I had never really thought about it in this way. I’ve always been a big believer that we learn so much from our children, from being parents. We grow in different ways that we otherwise wouldn’t have available to us. But I had never attributed a specific quality that I needed to develop, so I could then help my child develop it (you can’t give what you don’t already have) because that was what they were going to need as they carry on in this world. So I thought about it, starting first with my eldest.

Olaf

Stand For What You Believe In

A couple days before he was due, Olee turnedbreach (head up). We tried to get him turned. Wouldn’t budge. In the end my wife had to have an emergency C-section. When he came out at almost 10 lbs and a very large head, everyone was shocked and then understand why he wouldn’t turn.

If you try to force him to do something, he will root down and not budge. If he is given the opportunity to come to it himself, having been able to work it out for himself, he is more than willing. He is extremely observant and bright. No small detail escapes his attention, or memory. And if your answer to his question does not meet a level of depth and reasoning to his liking, he will ask “Why?” until he is satisfied. Makes you question everything you do and why.

At the time of his birth, I was a first time father, pursuing a career that was not at all stable or secure, seen not as a serious undertaking, but standing by my strong sense that this was the path I was to follow, while at the same time committed to being an active part of my family’s life.

He was sitting across from me when it hit me like a flood rushing over me. He’s needed me to learn to stand for what I believe in, because that’s what he will most need to learn from me as he discovers his gifts and makes his way in this world, fulfilling whatever purpose he finds himself drawn to. And to stand by it, believing what intuition has guided him to it.

Will

Pure Joyfulness

When Will came, he came in a rush. My wife definitely felt like this baby just needed to get out of the womb. When it was time, it was like “Let’s get this show on the road!” There was alot of uncertainty around whether he would come naturally, because Olee was a C-section. And our experience in the hospital after Olee was born was not the most Joyful experience (the dark cave we were put in, butting of heads with overbearing nurses, Juliet immobile, etc.). But Will was birthed successfully and if he could talk, I swear I would have heard him say “HELLO WORLD!!”. We both remember our time at the hospital after that as though we were staying at a Luxury resort.

And joyful he is. If people are feeling upset, he’s the first to smile. If people are feeling sad, he’s the first to try and get them to laugh. He is the first to wake in the morning, smile from ear to ear. He’s always giggling and laughing. He runs from one end of the house to the other constantly, as though on a wild romp. He loves to tackle and wrestle you. That kid’s fuel is joy. And he can run on it all day long.

At the time of his birth, I was feeling overworked, for little recompense, in a position I was finding uninspiring and suffocating. It was also in

the midst of my transition, as I prepared to launch my own business. Before I could do so, I needed to get out of the mindset I was finding myself struggling to stay out of.

I needed to connect with the joy of what I was pursuing. Funny enough, I later took a peek at the old blog and found the theme I had been writing about at the time (something had been ringing a bell). Turns out, it was Joy. ; )

He’s needed me to learn to find joy in all I do and to connect to it regularly, because that is what he will most need to learn from me as he discovers his gifts and makes his way in this world, fulfilling whatever purpose he finds himself drawn to. To stay connected to his fuel, that joy, as he does so.

Ruhiyya

Serenity in the Hurricane

Ruhiyya’s birth was amazing. Juliet felt like she was in no rush whatsoever. She would come when she was ready. And when she did, from time the contractions started to the time she was born, 4 hrs. Yet the whole process was so calm, no rush, very smooth. The essence of serenity through one of the most intense experiences life has to offer. Family came to visit, everything as great. And then at the 6 hr mark, everything changed. Ruhiyya was having difficulty breathing. She was whisked away to emergency. She wasn’t absorbing oxygen. Could be a heart problem. Could be massive lung infection. Could any number of other major issues. And just like that, she had to get transferred to another hospital, to the Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Lucky for us, we have access to one of the best Children’s Hospitals in the world. We couldn’t have asked for a more amazing staff of doctors and nurses.

When we were able to get over to the other hospital and finally see her, she was on breathing support, with tubes coming out of every which direction. And yet she was just so calm. Now mind you she was on some drugs to knock her out. But within a day, she was off them and still, so calm. She was getting stuck with needles left right and center. Nothing. Not a squeak. It blew me away. After 5 days she was home with us. She is so amazing. So calm, so content. Such a blessing to have with us.

There was a strength about her. An ability to take everything that went on around her in stride. When Erika had asked me what I got from the whole thing, what I was supposed to learn, for Ruhiyya, it hit me immediately, very visually in my mind, with the words: Serenity in the Hurricane.

Because I have a real affinity for storms. As a kid, when it was a white-out and was hitting -50 C, that’s when I was heading out to play. When the rain is coming down heaviest, that’s when I feel drawn to go for a hike. I am drawn to the “hurricane”. Not in the “I need to be in a constant state of crisis” kind of way. That’s not my schtick. But I am drawn to the challenge. I am drawn to always living on the edge of the storm, to step in whenever the opportunity presents itself, and discover a new facet of myself. But admittedly, while most close to me would say I’m very calm, patient and level headed through times of personal challenge, that doesn’t necessarily mean I’m serene.

And what she needs me to learn is that serenity. True serenity in the face if the storm. Something closer to the way I feel when I’m actually out in one in nature. Because that is what she will most need to learn from me as she discovers her gifts and makes her way in this world, fulfilling whatever purpose she finds herself drawn to. Not running away or stuffing her anxiety as far down as she can. But actually feeling serene as she stares straight into the maelstrom, ready to face what the storms may bring.

To my 3 dearest gems, among the greatest blessings in my life, I strive with whatever strength I have, however humble an effort it may be, to develop these qualities.

Now I don’t normally do “product reviews” here on the blog, though I’ve been wanting to share more about the programs I’ve found to be most effective for developing optimal fitness, health, performance and longevity. Because our physical well-being is part of the whole. And I’ve found addressing our personal evolutions can sometimes feel easier when we have something tangible to grab onto. A source that gives direct feedback that we feel and can connect to right away, ie: sweat, fatigue, the struggle of moving objects through space, etc.

I’m a very physical person. Always have been. That physicality has been a major part of my process of growth, my forge for unveiling the deeper recess’s of my capacity. That is why I became a health professional. Because while I care about your fitness, I care more about your journey to accessing the greatest heights of your potential. And it is through the physical gateway I know how best to serve.

Okay, back to TACGYM. I’m not going to give the play by play of what’s in the box and what you get, in terms of materials, for your investment. There are others out there that give GREAT reviews in that capacity. Far better than I ever would. That and you’ll see everything that comes with the program when the official page goes up.

I’m going to weigh in on this, the newest in Circular Strength Training’s TACFIT armada, as a practitioner of these materials and from the background of a CST Head Coach and TACFIT Team Leader.

Now being the National Director for Canada and on RMAX’s International Education Committee, there’s potential for this to be seen as extremely biased. And I’ll be honest, there is some biased here. It can’t be helped. I’m a fan of the system. It’s why I’ve stuck around as long as I have.

But here’s why. Circular Strength Training (CST) is the most complete system for health, fitness, performance, well-being andlongevity I have ever come across. And I’ve explored quite a few different modalities. I’m not saying that it’s the only thing out there. Or that others don’t have great benefit. There is so much out there and so much cross over. In the end it really does come down to what connects with you most, if it’ll get you moving. But as a COMPLETE system, taking in the greatest aspects of our health, that have the greatest, most effective impact, I have met no equal. And I have seen it’s impact first hand, not only in myself, but in so many around me who have taken the plunge.

And TACGYM, as a program of that system, is no exception. The tactical focus of TACFIT is meant to take the health-first performance benefits of CST and apply it to the needs of the tactical community; police, military, firefighters. The individuals who serve in this capacity are among those who face the highest degree of stress and intensity in their occupations on a day in and day out basis. A level that has long term effects on their health. And as it turns out, we all face, on a daily basis, higher levels of stress than ever before in history. So not only is it beneficial for tactical responders, it’s beneficial for u all.

Where Tactical Gymnastics fits in is the integration between the very effective recovery methods within CST, more specifically the bio-mechanical exercises from Sonnon’s original Body-Flow* , and the unique application of protocol, movement selection and tactically specific preparation, to be able to adapt and improvise in the face unknowable challenges, of TACFIT.

*If you were to look at stretches, yoga or gross motor movement, it’s the movement in between the movements. The transitional keys to unbinding and accessing flow in all degree’s we are meant to move. For an example, check out Sonnon applying it here.

This is HUGE. Because that is TACFIT’s paramount objective: recovery. To learn to recover as fast as humanly possible, from within the range of heart rate max, without the aid of external expensive, state-of-the-art equipment. Rather tapping into the most state-of-the-art machine we have available to us, our Body. Because when it comes down to it, it’s not about who’s bigger or faster or stronger. It’s about who can recover faster. He who recovers fastest, wins.

And that’s not me just saying that because I drank the Koolaid. It’s me saying it because I’ve experienced it. Over and over again. I’ve been taken to my very edge and recovered faster than I ever have before having worked at that level. And then taken to the edge again. And again. And again. Where I could just keep going each and every time, working at my max. And I have helped others do the same. Think about it. You could be the biggest, the strongest and the fastest. But if you are unable to recover to come back and perform at near top performance, the one who can is going to do it again. And again. And…well you get the point. And they are going to leave you in their dust.

This is not just applicable to sports or athletes or tactical responders. It applies to all of us as well. How many times have you found yourself facing a challenge, a “Beast”, in your life that stopped you dead in your tracks? That blocked you at every turn, seeming near impossible to get by? A challenge, that you weren’t expecting to face, but took months, maybe years to get past? To recover, so you could get on with your life?

Being able to train in this manner for your physical development automatically translates into your mental and emotional development as well. If you train (with all the benefits of getting bigger, faster, stronger, fat loss, etc) in a manner as such, you will begin to recover faster mentally and emotionally as well. Think what that starts to mean for you in your life, if you can get through that pit of quicksand in weeks instead of years. In days instead of months. Moving you forward, faster from one stage of growth to the next. What does that mean for your life and the potential to live it in a manner we all, deep down wish to? To it’s greatest extent.

The thing is, attending to the recovery from the training (which is paramount, no matter what program you train in), is the most challenging for us. It’s always easier, ironically enough, to dive in to the deep end and do the “hardest” part, running ourselves ragged. We don’t last long, but it’s what we gravitate to. Where it takes more self motivation to get off the couch to attend to our active recovery.

This is where TACGYM has bridged the two. Taking movements that will continue to release bound up tension by moving us outside the limited ranges of the “box” that much of our life is lived in. But turning it into a training approach we are more apt to undertake. On top of that, developing everything we’ve talked about above. Not to mention having fun. This is one of the gifts of Circular Strength Training and all it’s incarnation’s. It lets us tap into such a high degree of movement sophistication and complexity, that our nervous system is constantly excited, constantly wanting more. Would you believe, that’s one of the biggest keys to youthful vitality and longevity. And having the progressive levels of sophistication, that is one of Scott Sonnon and CST’s trademarks, you too can get there.

As part of the launch, Sonnon has given out a Free book and video teaching you what is required for TACFIT’s Spartan Challenge : “Defeat the Beast”(an example of what you from Tactical Gymnastics). Give it a try:

*offer is now over* (but you can take a look at my example on Youtube and give it a try).

You can also follow along as I take you through what it is like to undergo the challenge itself. Tough. Just remember, included is a regression level to come in at. It’s not about doing what everyone else is doing. It’s about daring ourselves to face the “Beast”, wherever it may present itself. Enjoy. ;D

2011 is upon us and showing no sign of letting up whatsoever from the momentum of the year past. After a much needed week and a half off with the family over the holiday season (after an intense couple month preparation period and successful launch of my new training product, the Clubbell Mass Evolution), I came back to work. When I come back from having been off, it really is because I was off. I go completely offline. The computer shuts down, the phone gets turned off and I unplug. And having returned, the inbox is spilling over, there are a few loose ends to finish tying off from 2010 so I can really focus on the new year before me AND all the action required for everything that goes along with it. I imagine that is the same for many of us.

But I feel it is of the utmost importance to take a moment and reflect when reaching significant turning points, to fully draw what one can from the experience. And I just came across a very important reason for doing so.

Just before going offline, I was invited to be profiled for an article. I of course accepted, not knowing what the article was or which magazine it might be for. The request was coming from my Coach and Teammate, Scott Sonnon, and thus was fine with wherever it ws getting posted. I didn’t have much time to get into it, I had to answer the interview questions because I was going offline. The questions were very intelligent and I liked what was being asked. So I submitted and was done.

I am now back, just a couple days, and while attending to the final bits of last year and all the new bits of revving up for what is looking to be an even more incredible year than last, it’s been a little all over the place and from the outside could seem somewhat chaotic (heck, from the inside it looks chaotic ;)). Along with that, comes still being in the dark about some stuff. Then today, I see a few messages that end off with a “And congratulations on being chosen #1 trainer of the year!” Huh? Pardon? I had no idea what was being referred to. At first I almost thought it was just a really nice gesture by the individual. But I decided to do a little digging. And what do you know; I had been entered alongside 9 other trainers by RMAX International into a poll that would be voted on by the CST community for the Most Aspiring Trainer of the Year award. And as it turns out, I won.

And this is why it is so important to take a moment to take stock. Because the potential for missing this was there. And what I would have missed out on was, not finding out that I’d won, but having missed the opportunity to honour those in whose company I have been placed.

There is no denying that I stand upon broad wide shoulders, in whatever progress I have made in my growth and development, as a member of this CST community. I have always believed that no one truly does it on their own and that we learn, even if it be equivalent to that of a grain of sand and from a seemingly very negative interaction, something from everyone we come into contact with. And the fellow trainers on this list are no exception. This is what I have come to very much respect about the CST community. The caliber of individuals that it attracts. Not only does it attract these incredibly gifted, talented and innovative powerhouses, but those same trainers pour so much back into the community they’ve become a part of. Each of them to a man or woman, are imbued with a sense of service, for the betterment and progress of those around them.

My whole life has been motivated, inspired and driven by a strong sense of service to my fellow man, that we may collectively grow into the unquestionable capacity we have just waiting to be unlocked and tapped into. And to be surrounded and supported by a team of people that do the same is a blessing, gift and absolute honour.

This would be a very tough vote, as each of you brings something so unique in your expression and promotion of CST/TACFIT, that it’s difficult to differentiate the impact you have each had as individuals. Because it is precisely what you bring, as an integral piece of the whole, fulfilling a capacity that only you can bring to the table in the way that you all do, that plays such an important role in the effectiveness and impact we all have as a team on those around us. It’s no wonder it’s felt like an explosion of talent and growth amongst the CST trainers this year!

I know for myself, anything I have been able offer in service to those around me and in continuing to expand CST’s ever widening reach, ever deepening influence, it has been in large part due to the energy, selflessness, inspiration, support and encouragement of you all. I am honoured to be a part of this Team. To be a part of this collective that I truly believe will continue to be a significant part of trailblazing, shaping and facilitating growth for our family’s, community’s and our society at large.

Thank you Coach Sonnon for my inclusion amongst this amazing group of incredible individuals, in spotlighting the growth that is now going to continue blowing wide open by leaps and bounds.

Thank you to all, for your vote of confidence in my continued participation with this community and endeavour.

Our “inner voice” is immensely powerful. It comes in two frequency’s, with two seemingly opposing messages. In reality, however, two sides of the same coin. One from the head, one from the heart. But one overshadow’s the other. It’s smooth talking, very rational and knows every self-preservation button to push. It’s influence is old, dating back to our very beginnings. It is the voice that nullifies, decreasing the instances of risk-taking…..or perceived risk-taking. Thus ensuring survival.

Only, we no longer live in an age where the basic necessities for survival are barely available. We have every means to move beyond survive. We have every means to truly THRIVE!

Much of the perceived risk-taking is only the risk of standing out (previously a guarantee of being spotted by something that wants to eat you). But to truly tap into each of our unique gifts, that which only we can bring the value of to the world, standing out comes as a direct result.

The motivation, the drive and the inspiration comes from the other side of that coin. It’s power draws from the very emanating source of creation. It is alive, passionate and creative. It is also very sensitive. And despite its incredible strength and power to transform everything around it, it takes great effort to nurture it, to encourage it, to release it. To fuel it’s blazing fire with confidence means overcoming our deep rooted, genetic instinct to survive.

The fire of our life is at our beck and call, ready to spring forth. We need just embrace our desire to thrive and ignite….